How PewDiePie Taught YouTube An Important Lesson

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Part of YouTube’s charm is its smorgasbord of content from different creators all around the world. Independent content creators often have a “tell-it-like-it-is” attitude that helps them build a reputable reputation on the internet.

In 2015, YouTube launched YouTube Red, their paid subscription service. Through YouTube Red, users can enjoy ad-free viewing and get access to some original shows from YouTube’s brightest stars.

One of the first YouTubers to earn a spot on YouTube Red was gamer PewDiePie, YouTube’s most subscribed vlogger. In his show, entitled Scare PewDiePie, the YouTuber is dragged through several horrifying scenarios for everyone’s entertainment.

The show was doing so well that it was renewed for another season — until YouTube decided to sever ties with the star.

PewDiePie, whose real name is Felix Kjellberg, began posting a series of videos on his channel that featured Anti-Semitic clips and images that did not sit well with his network and YouTube on the whole.

As a result, YouTube dropped him from Google Preferred, YouTube’s premier ad program for high-profile content creators. The vlogger was also dropped by the Disney-owned network Maker Studio for the same reason.

It seems everything is going downhill for PewDiePie — but is it really? The plot thickens as Kjellberg sends a clear message about censorship on his channel.

A Brief History of PewDiePie

Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg, more popularly known as PewDiePie on the internet, is the first YouTuber to earn 10 million subscribers — making him first-generation YouTube royalty.

Born in Gothenburg, Sweden, Kjellberg pursued a degree in Industrial Economics and Technology Management at the Chalmers University of Technology in 2010. He soon decided to drop out of school to focus on creating gaming content on YouTube under the name PewDiePie.

Kjellberg rose to fame for creating “Let’s Play” videos that featured both the gameplay and his reaction to some of the scariest games. In 2012, the gamer/vlogger reached his first 1,000,000 subscribers – and the rest, as they say, was history.

What PewDiePie Is Teaching YouTube

PewDiePie was among the first content creators to secure a spot on YouTube’s premium subscription service YouTube Red — naturally.

Kjellberg and his network premiered a reality-adventure series called “Scare PewDiePie.” The show focused on following Kjellberg as he encountered horrifying scenarios based on some of the most chilling video games he’s ever played. The show was co-produced by the same people behind “The Walking Dead” series.

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The Scare PewDiePie series was such a success that a second season was already in the works when YouTube decided to drop Kjellberg off YouTube Red and the Google Preferred ad program.

Things began turning for the worst when Kjellberg decided to upload videos that contained Neo-Nazi and Anti-Semitic themes. Both his network and YouTube accused Kjellberg of spreading racist content through his channel and decided to sever ties with him.

Instead of backing down, Kjellberg decided to put out content that pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable on the internet even further.

Was the vlogger just acting out or was he making a stand for something far more important?

If there’s something you need to understand about content creators like Kjellberg, it’s that they abhor censorship. YouTube is becoming more like a mainstream media channel and less like the free video sharing platform it once was, and that’s rubbing some people the wrong way.

Content creators feel like the current ad restrictions are hampering their freedom of expression and are forcing them to create more ad-friendly content — instead of videos that are relatable and relevant to their audience, the kind that they got famous making.

By pushing the boundaries even further, PewDiePie is forcing YouTube to confront its own origin story.

What Can You Learn From PewDiePie?

YouTube is rolling out regulations that are in some cases hampering the creativity of content creators. Through his outrageous videos, PewDiePie stood up against the big guys and reminded everyone what YouTube was (and should be) about — creative freedom.

Pushing creativity and creating relevant videos is important, now more than ever. YouTube has come this far entrusting their growth to content creators who understand their audiences better than anyone else.

If you’re hampered by the current restrictions on YouTube, don’t be afraid to go back to the drawing board and rethink your direction. Growing on a platform like YouTube isn’t just about raking in the most ad revenue, it’s about building a community that can help you translate online success into something bigger in the real world.

Not everyone is as popular as PewDiePie, and as able to get away with being offensive. For less popular people and organizations, offending the wrong groups can be a death sentence, and this should be taken into account. If you’re going to be outrageous or offensive, you’ll have to deal with the consequences.

As long as you’re not offending anybody or any group, you shouldn’t be afraid of being creative with your videos. There’s no one out there who understands your audience better than YOU.

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There’s more to YouTube than ad revenue. It’s a platform where you can connect with millions of viewers from around the globe. Your channel is your platform, use it well and make every video worth your viewer’s while.